I stand corrected - saddle snobbery!

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tigers_eye

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Rememeber Wes, the chesnut youngster I'm producing for a client? Well none of my saddles really fit him as he is deceptively wide (even though he can hold a piece of paper between his knees!). I looked round the tackroom and asked a friend if I could try her GP on him, it's a bog standard synthetic Kincade GP which are dirt cheap. Well blow me down, it's not that different from riding in my own jumping saddles! I was more or less in the right place, it was fairly comfy, didn't slip, and he seemed to like it
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! I've always been quite snobby about synthetics, but to be honest I think if I get another in to sell that my saddles don't fit I'd be happy to go and pick up one of these. Rather pointless post I know, but just wanted to share!
 
Id like to say welcome to the world or the amateu, but that would be rude! Both my horses have Gps & the ponies saddle is synthetic; TBH from a distance I dont think you can even tell the saddle is synthetic & there certainly easier to care for & keep in better condition through a heavy hunting season!
 
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I've heard you just vacuum them?! Is this true? Might be a very fast convert if that's the case! Will be great for the bank balance too!

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Baby wipes used to work wonders on my wintec
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My name is Cruiser and I am a reformed saddle snob.
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I've had similar experiences with young horses in for training. They change so fast and often the saddle that fits at 3 is not going to fit later so increasingly I tell people to go with a synthetic initially if they can find one that fits. Then later, when the horse has developed a bit and its path is clearer, they can buy a sport-specific saddle and spend the big bucks if they want. In thee mean time they have a decent saddle to ride in and it's cheap enough that if it needs to be changed at some point it's not a disaster. Plus, here at least, the synthetics seem to hold their relative value fairly well.

They aren't everyone's cup of tea but they can be a good option for a temporary saddle and/or if finances are an issue. I'd much rather see someone in a decently made synthetic that fits than in a super cheap leather saddle that doesn't fit any horse ever born.

The synthetics are evolving so quickly it's really not fair to judge even from a few years ago - the quality of workmanship, attention to mechanics etc. is streets ahead of where they were and there are top class riders, especially in dressage, riding in them now. Plus they look almost indistinguishable from leather from a few feet away.
 
I wouldnt be without my Wintec, its really comfortable, lighweight and easy to keep. its god the equisuede seat which keep me in the saddle on spooky days!! its *loody fab
 
personally i think synthetics rock - ok i'll aways love leather but synthetic is sooo much easier, looks fine now we have the modern versions and with the likes of cair and fish and changeable gullets provide a very comfy fit for our nags!

Ps - baby wipes and a hand vac - clean saddle in no time!! (after really wet days huning i have been known to hose mine off too!)
 
My Name is Katie and I am also a reformed saddle snob though for me it happened about 4 years ago when Dan outgre his leather saddles (both GP and dressage) and I could not afford to buy leather replacements.

I had to 'settle' with wintecs that still weren't a 'great fit' but weren't causing any damage so to speak. (yet to find a saddler who can actually find a saddle to correctly fit Dan and so far that includes about 4 or 5 master saddlers
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Anyway I have since managed to buy a second hand Albion GP but I still own the GP which I think will come back into use soon on Dan as the albion is more suited to Fleur but does 'ok' for now until he loses some fat! The isabell though I still have and use regualary. Yes I would far far prefer another albion dressage (what i sold
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) but I can't afford one. Essentially the isabell has me in the right position, and fits the horse my only moan is I find it tips me forward slightly (and does so to most people i see riding in them) so i'm constantly fighting the urge to tip forward!!

Yes they are a lot lighter and basically don't need cleaning so for me are superb BUT i just cannot do the synthetic stirrup leathers things as they are just too stiff and inflexible I have to have real leather ones
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I'd quite like a synthetic saddle; I love that they're so light, but saddles here are so cheap (my 2 Santa Cruz saddles cost about 220 pounds a piece) I might as well have leather ones...

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Wow, is that all??
You could make a tidy profit posting them to skint HHO's over here!
 
i have leather riding tack but i have a synthetic harness, i 'moan' at my friend about having to clean it but all i have to do is chuck it in the washing machine unlike her who has to spend hours cleaning leather!!
 
Absolutely right - the current synthetics are comfortable and hard wearing and best of all - don't matter if they get soaked in the rain and don't require cleaning - however I still use leather stirrup leathers as they synthetic ones are hard work to adjust.

Also - last laugh to any tack thieves expecting 1500 quid saddles to pinch and ending up with 200 quid job instead ;-)
 
ha ha, we have a brown synthetic GP we use for breaking, and we wouldn't be without it.
It is medium wide and seems to fit all our horses well, it even fitted two other horses when we loaned it to friends with new horses until they bought their proper ones.
It makes sense to use that to start with, as the dressage saddles at £1600 to replace and the jeffries at £650 need cherishing...
Welcome to the world of synthetic saddles, (oh and you can power wash them to clean them too!)
 
we have a synthetic saddle for otto, ash also complains about the synthetic leathers! i do need to replace it though as ash's knees are now over the saddle flaps..i do wish that kid would stop growing!
 
I rode for many years in a wintec pro dressage saddle and it was a great way of learning to how to develop an effective seat without any help from the saddle! Seriously - it helped me to learn to sit the trot properly without having a saddle to help me keep in position. I don't mean to diss the saddle - they are well made and if the fit your horse they are great.

I'm not sure I would have been able to use one on my current very big moving warmblood though!
 
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